Halloween weekend full moon: Look up to see October 2023 hunter's moon

Doyle Rice, USA TODAY
·2 min read
A full Hunter's moon rises behind the Washington Monument, in Washington, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022.
A full Hunter's moon rises behind the Washington Monument, in Washington, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022.

If you're heading out this weekend to enjoy any Halloween events, be sure to gaze up at the night sky: This final weekend of October will feature the full "hunter's" moon, which will be visible for the next few nights.

Although the moon is officially full at 4:24 p.m. ET on Saturday, Oct. 28, it will still look plenty full when it rises in the eastern sky on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.

This full moon is called the hunter's moon because it's the time of year when, historically, hunters began collecting food and storing it for the long and cold winter months ahead, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Hunter's moon follows the harvest moon

A hunter's moon, according to the Almanac, is the first full moon that occurs after the harvest moon, which is the full moon that's closest to the autumnal equinox.

The Hunter's Moon rises behind a gargoyle of the cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris, on Oct. 9, 2022.
The Hunter's Moon rises behind a gargoyle of the cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris, on Oct. 9, 2022.

Other nicknames for the full moon

Other nicknames for October’s full moon include the falling leaves moon, the migrating moon, the drying rice moon and the freezing moon.

The earliest use of the term “hunter’s moon,” cited in the Oxford English Dictionary, was in 1710.

When is the next full moon in 2023?

Only two full moons are left after the hunter's moon this year. You can spot them on Monday, Nov. 27 (The beaver moon), and Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023 (The cold moon).

Windblown trees are silhouetted against a Hunter's moon as seen along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Blowing Rock, N.C., Monday, Oct. 18, 2021 as autumn closes in on the North Carolina highlands.
Windblown trees are silhouetted against a Hunter's moon as seen along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Blowing Rock, N.C., Monday, Oct. 18, 2021 as autumn closes in on the North Carolina highlands.

There's also a lunar eclipse Saturday – just not in the U.S.

A partial lunar eclipse will also occur on Saturday, but it will not be visible in the U.S., as the moon will be below the horizon at that time.

The lunar eclipse, however, will be fully visible from Africa, Europe, Asia and parts of Western Australia, according to Space.com. "The eastern tip of South America will get a small glimpse of the eclipse at moonrise, but don't expect an incredible view from there," Space.com's Brett Tingley said.

What is the 'moon illusion'?

As the moon drifts over the horizon around sunset, it may appear larger and more orange, according to the almanac.

"But don’t be fooled by the 'moon illusion,' which makes the moon appear bigger than it really is," the almanac said.

Contributing: John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star; Haadiza Ogwude, The Cincinnati Enquirer

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Full moon Halloween weekend: When is October 2023 hunter's moon?